I am writing this post from my sick bed today as I have a cold - although hopefully by the time this post goes live I'll have made a full recovery thanks in part to some of these tips and tricks that I'm going to share with you today. Theses are a mixture of home remedies and old fashioned common sense. If you have any of your own tips to share, you can tweet me @VickiMaitland or leave a comment below!
1) Recognise the signs. A cold rarely arrives without warning, so as soon as you start to feel the start of a tickley throat or a running nose take precautions.
2) Rest. I cannot stress this one enough, but taking the time out to do nothing is the best way to allow your body to recover. This might means missing the odd night out, calling in sick from work or school, and spending an inordinate amount of time in your bed/on the sofa. I didn't listen to this advice, and even though I knew I was getting a cold I still went out for the weekend - and have been suffering badly ever since.
3) Fresh air. This might appear contradictory to what I've just said, but taking a few deep breaths of lovely fresh air can really help you feel better - even as a placebo.
4) Vitamins. I'm not suggesting taking supplements, but make sure you're packing yourself full of leafy greens and citrus fruits. I tend to go into what I call 'scurvy mode' and eat endless oranges in search of a vitamin C kick.
5) Water. Keeping on top if your fluid intake is essential at any time of the year, but its even more important when you've got a cold. I've found that drinking thyme water (infusing a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme or a teaspoon of dried thyme into hot water) is a great way to aid recovery. Thyme is full of vitamin C, and you know how I love my VitC!
6) Honey, Lemon and Ginger. Perfect for a sore throat and with a ginger kick to clear out a blocked nose, this is a perfect mixture. You can mix these wonderful fresh ingredients and (weirdly for honey, I know) store this in the fridge ready to be stirred into hot water for your own makeshift tea. Lovely.
7) Steam inhalation. Pour a kettle full of freshly boiled water into a heat-proof bowl and sit over it, tking deep breaths in through your nose and out your mouth (with a tea towel over your head to trap all that lovely steam). Be careful not to sit with your head too close to the water at first, as the steam can burn. This is my mum's tried and tested way to help clear out a blocked nose or loosen phlegm on the chest and throat. Just make sure to have a box of tissues nearby!
8) Balsam tissues. This won't help your cold get better quicker (although frequently clearing out your sinuses will help - as disgusting as this sounds always blow rather than swallow!!) but using a tissues with built in balm will protect your poor nose and stave off the Rudolph look for as long as possible.
9) Shower or bath. This might sound odd, but having a shower always makes me feel a little healthier. The hot water warms the bodies extremities, and the steam it produces is like a mini steam inhalation and helps clear out your blocked sinuses.
10) Food. Whenever I get a cold I lose my appetite immediately, and as my blood sugar drops I feel more and more poorly. To stop this from happening, eat little and often. You may not be able to manage big meals (although I'm always surprised about how hungry I really am) but keep up your blood sugar.
11) Drugs. Don't be afraid of taking paracetamol or ibuprofen. They can be taken at the same time, so I normally take one, wait two hours, then take the other as they both have four hour turn around so I'm always topped up. Don't rely on these, but, if you have a busy day that you can't get out of, these can really take the edge off your illness. You might still be snuffling and coughing but at least you won't feel so disgusting.
12) Salt Water. If you think you've got some kind of throat related illness, try gargling some warm salt water two or three times a day. It has antibacterial properties, so is a great way to ward off illness.
I hope this helps some of you! As for me, this has tuckered me out, so I'm going to go have a nap. Tuesday's post will be my answers to Tom Fletcher's Fifteen Festive Favouite's Tag, so you can check that out whilst you wait.
Showing posts with label tips and tricks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips and tricks. Show all posts
Friday, 21 November 2014
Friday, 26 September 2014
How To: Shop
The title of this post might sound a little silly: 'How to shop? But I know how to shop? You just walk into a building, pick up an item, exchange money for said item, and leave. What more could there possibly be?'
When I say 'how to shop' I don't just mean popping into the city for a browse and maybe picking up a thing or two. I'm talking serious, planned out, full on, bank busting shopping. This is just a couple of tips and tricks for how to get the most out of an intense shopping trip - they're just things I like to do, and if you've got any of your own shopping mantras then leave a comment below or tweet me @VickiMaitland. I'm always looking to get new ideas!
1) Write a list of the things you know you want. This can be as vague as 1xJacket, 2xTee etc etc; as rigid as 1xTopShop Jacket - leather sleeves, burgundy fabric, belted waist; or anywhere inbetween. Not only does this stop you from being swayed from impulse buys, but it also helps you...
2) Budget. Once you've written a rough list of the things you want, tot up roughly how much it'll cost (and err on the side of more rather than less so your bank balance doesn't get any nasty surprises). Be honest: you can get a coat for £20, but be prepared to spend £50 on something with a bit of quality, or up to £100 for a nice brand. Once you've figured out roughly how much everything on your list will cost, you can begin to cross things off. Maybe you don't need that extra jumper or that new underwear?
3) Browse online first. Honestly, I don't tend to do this one very much, but if I'm going on a serious spree or I have an exact image of something I want I have a look online first. Not only does this narrow down the shops you need to be walking into, but it can give you a clearer idea of cost too. Make a note of this cost (and shipping charges), as you might notice a difference in store. You might find that doing all your shopping online works out cheaper than getting into town and back. Generally, unless I've bought from the place before, I don't like shopping online as I'm a big believer in rule number 4.
4) Try it on. I always try things on where I can, particularly shirts and jeans. Every style and every shop will give a slightly different fit, so to save yourself a trip back in try it on first. Don't worry too much about the look of the item when trying it on - just focus on the fit. Often things look very different under natural light as opposed to the (often unflattering) changing room bulbs, but lighting doesn't change the way a dress fits! For makeup, always do a swatch test, leave the store, and return in a couple of hours once the swatch has had a chance to settle into your skin. Not only will this make sure you like the colour but it also means you've seen how durable the makeup is. The only down side is forgetting which swatch is from which makeup, so if you can take a photo of the product next to the swatch, or simply jot down a name of the brand in order that'll help you out.
5) Keep receipts. Either in the bag they're in or in a separate compartment in your purse, always keep your receipts. Even if you've tried something on in store, you might not like it once you're at home and stood in natural lighting (although the same is true in reverse). Check out a stores returns policy before you assume you can do this though. Some places will only offer exchanges or gift cards, particularly on sale items, whilst others will do full refunds. Keep the receipts at least until you are no longer able to take the item back (usually 28 days) and go through your receipts once a month so you don't end up having years worth of them. Some items will have a warranty, and you'll need to keep the receipt till that runs out too.
6) Take a friend or two. Not only is in nice to have some company, but its great to get a second opinion on clothes. Take a friend whose style you admire as well as someone who knows you inside out. This may be two different people. Friend number one will draw your eye to things you might not have noticed, and perhaps encourage you to try out something new, whilst friend number two will be able to give an honest opinion on clothes and whether or not you'll actually wear them.
7) You're not allowed to buy it. If you're shopping on your own (or even with some friends) you can use this as a way to determine whether or not you really want something (particularly if its an impulse buy). Tell yourself you're not allowed to buy the item, and if you're gutted then you probably really want it. If you're not that fussed then don't buy it. You can always come back and pick it up later if you can't stop thinking about it.
8) The Sale Rule. Sometimes going away to think if you want an item or not is great. Unless it's in the sale. Provided the shop have a decent returns policy, buy the sale item. I totally disagree with the 'if you wouldn't buy it full price, don't buy it in the sale' because there are loads of things I own that I wouldn't have spent £30 on but did happily spend £20 or £15. The only thing I never buy from the sale rail are the damaged items. I've bought trousers where the zip has broken, intending on fixing it, and have never got round to doing it. Unless its an easy fix, don't buy it.
9) Bargain with faulty items. If an item is in the sale for a fault, you won't get any extra money off, but if you spot something on the shelves which is a bit plucked or puckered, or has makeup marks round the collar, always ask if you can get a bit off. Sometimes it won't work (in which case put the item back and try to get it online), but some shops will offer a decent discount. Be reasonable, though, if an item is badly damaged you won't wear it anyway, and the more minimal the damage the less the discount.
10) Student cards. If you're a student ALWAYS ask if the shop does a student discount. Sometimes they won't display their discounts, and sometimes they'll need to see your student card before scanning your items, so ask as soon as you put your clothes etc down on the table. Some shops (like Miss Selfridge) will swap between doing a 10% and 20% discount, so check which one is on or if they store assistants know when the change will happen. For online shopping, use UniDays or similar sites to get student discount codes.
There you have it, those are my ten golden shopping rules. What are yours?
When I say 'how to shop' I don't just mean popping into the city for a browse and maybe picking up a thing or two. I'm talking serious, planned out, full on, bank busting shopping. This is just a couple of tips and tricks for how to get the most out of an intense shopping trip - they're just things I like to do, and if you've got any of your own shopping mantras then leave a comment below or tweet me @VickiMaitland. I'm always looking to get new ideas!
1) Write a list of the things you know you want. This can be as vague as 1xJacket, 2xTee etc etc; as rigid as 1xTopShop Jacket - leather sleeves, burgundy fabric, belted waist; or anywhere inbetween. Not only does this stop you from being swayed from impulse buys, but it also helps you...
2) Budget. Once you've written a rough list of the things you want, tot up roughly how much it'll cost (and err on the side of more rather than less so your bank balance doesn't get any nasty surprises). Be honest: you can get a coat for £20, but be prepared to spend £50 on something with a bit of quality, or up to £100 for a nice brand. Once you've figured out roughly how much everything on your list will cost, you can begin to cross things off. Maybe you don't need that extra jumper or that new underwear?
3) Browse online first. Honestly, I don't tend to do this one very much, but if I'm going on a serious spree or I have an exact image of something I want I have a look online first. Not only does this narrow down the shops you need to be walking into, but it can give you a clearer idea of cost too. Make a note of this cost (and shipping charges), as you might notice a difference in store. You might find that doing all your shopping online works out cheaper than getting into town and back. Generally, unless I've bought from the place before, I don't like shopping online as I'm a big believer in rule number 4.
4) Try it on. I always try things on where I can, particularly shirts and jeans. Every style and every shop will give a slightly different fit, so to save yourself a trip back in try it on first. Don't worry too much about the look of the item when trying it on - just focus on the fit. Often things look very different under natural light as opposed to the (often unflattering) changing room bulbs, but lighting doesn't change the way a dress fits! For makeup, always do a swatch test, leave the store, and return in a couple of hours once the swatch has had a chance to settle into your skin. Not only will this make sure you like the colour but it also means you've seen how durable the makeup is. The only down side is forgetting which swatch is from which makeup, so if you can take a photo of the product next to the swatch, or simply jot down a name of the brand in order that'll help you out.
5) Keep receipts. Either in the bag they're in or in a separate compartment in your purse, always keep your receipts. Even if you've tried something on in store, you might not like it once you're at home and stood in natural lighting (although the same is true in reverse). Check out a stores returns policy before you assume you can do this though. Some places will only offer exchanges or gift cards, particularly on sale items, whilst others will do full refunds. Keep the receipts at least until you are no longer able to take the item back (usually 28 days) and go through your receipts once a month so you don't end up having years worth of them. Some items will have a warranty, and you'll need to keep the receipt till that runs out too.
6) Take a friend or two. Not only is in nice to have some company, but its great to get a second opinion on clothes. Take a friend whose style you admire as well as someone who knows you inside out. This may be two different people. Friend number one will draw your eye to things you might not have noticed, and perhaps encourage you to try out something new, whilst friend number two will be able to give an honest opinion on clothes and whether or not you'll actually wear them.
7) You're not allowed to buy it. If you're shopping on your own (or even with some friends) you can use this as a way to determine whether or not you really want something (particularly if its an impulse buy). Tell yourself you're not allowed to buy the item, and if you're gutted then you probably really want it. If you're not that fussed then don't buy it. You can always come back and pick it up later if you can't stop thinking about it.
8) The Sale Rule. Sometimes going away to think if you want an item or not is great. Unless it's in the sale. Provided the shop have a decent returns policy, buy the sale item. I totally disagree with the 'if you wouldn't buy it full price, don't buy it in the sale' because there are loads of things I own that I wouldn't have spent £30 on but did happily spend £20 or £15. The only thing I never buy from the sale rail are the damaged items. I've bought trousers where the zip has broken, intending on fixing it, and have never got round to doing it. Unless its an easy fix, don't buy it.
9) Bargain with faulty items. If an item is in the sale for a fault, you won't get any extra money off, but if you spot something on the shelves which is a bit plucked or puckered, or has makeup marks round the collar, always ask if you can get a bit off. Sometimes it won't work (in which case put the item back and try to get it online), but some shops will offer a decent discount. Be reasonable, though, if an item is badly damaged you won't wear it anyway, and the more minimal the damage the less the discount.
10) Student cards. If you're a student ALWAYS ask if the shop does a student discount. Sometimes they won't display their discounts, and sometimes they'll need to see your student card before scanning your items, so ask as soon as you put your clothes etc down on the table. Some shops (like Miss Selfridge) will swap between doing a 10% and 20% discount, so check which one is on or if they store assistants know when the change will happen. For online shopping, use UniDays or similar sites to get student discount codes.
There you have it, those are my ten golden shopping rules. What are yours?
Friday, 30 May 2014
University #1: What and Where
This is going to be the first in what will hopefully become a series of University related posts. This post is aimed at those who are either at the end of GCSEs or at the end of their AS level studies. I don't know how this would correlate to other parts of the world - sorry! - but it would be two of three years before you'd actually start going to University. I'm coming towards the end of my second year of Uni, and I've had my ups and downs just like everyone else. Hopefully this post will start to answer a couple of question you might have!
1) Do you want to go to University and WHY? This feels like a silly question, and if you're reading this you've probably already decided that Uni is the right choice for you. There are obviously loads of pros and cons to going to uni, but it's important that you know why it is that YOU specifically want to go. Maybe its because you know exactly what career you want and you know what it takes to get there? Maybe its because you don't know what career you want, so want to stay in education a bit longer to find out whats out there? Maybe you want to move out from your parents house, go somewhere new and meet a whole new set of people? Maybe you just love to study? At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what your reasons are, just so long as you have one and its important to YOU. I know people who've applied to and gone to Uni just because its what everyone else was doing, and they haven't lasted very long. Whether you decided Higher Education is right for you or not, the focus has to be on you.
For me, I never considered another option. I was academic at school, and knew exactly what I wanted to study. I also wanted to suspend 'real life' for as long as possible, so staying in education felt like the perfect choice!
2) What are you going to study? This is probably one of the most important things you've got to have started thinking about before you've selected your A level subjects (although, if you haven't thought about it yet and you're at the end of AS studies don't worry!) Some uni's will demand that you have certain A Levels at a certain grade before you can study their course - for example I'm on an English literature with creative writing course, and part of the course requirement was an A grade in either English lit or English lang (or the combined option). Most arts or humanities courses will only specify a grade in the subject you want to study, but for some science or medicine related courses they might asks for multiple subject requirements (ie, for medicine they may ask for an A grade in Chemistry, as well as another Science or Maths subject with a C grade at AS in Maths). What you pick at A level becomes super important for getting on the course you want to do, so its worth picking your options carefully.
If you don't know what you want to study yet, I'd recommend picking a range of subjects which work well together and you have an interest in. In my AS year I studied English lit, English lang, politics and media. I knew I wanted to do a literature course, but I needed some complimentary subjects too. I'd never studied politics before and it became my second favourite lesson (after Eng lit). Its worth going for something you've never tried before, but if you can go for a taster session before I'd really recommend it - I almost took sociology, but when I hated the taster session I knew that I wouldn't do well in it.
3) Where do you want to study? This is sometimes a hard question. For me, location didn't matter - I ended up going to the Uni with the best course which just so happened to be my local university. For one of my friends, they knew they wanted to be near the sea or a large body of water, so ruled out city universities. There are lots of things to consider when picking a uni, particularly their reputation and their expectations: what grades do they want you to get, are these grades achievable, and do these grades reflect the reputation of the course itself? Once you've narrowed down your options, its a good idea to check out open days. Most unis start holding open days towards the end of June, so its worth getting in there early. You can also go down the route of arranging private talks with the head of subject at your prospective uni's - it'll make you more memorable and will answer your specific set of questions or concerns.
This is also a question you can't really answer until the end of your AS year - you need to have some sort of idea what level you are working at and you need to make the universities expectations and your own realistic: if a university is asking for 3 A's and you got three D's and an E at AS, you're either going to have to do a lot of work, or change for a university which wants C's. Don't set a ridiculously high bar for yourself - it'll just stress you out.
If you do know exactly where you want to go at GCSE, then well done as you're a couple of steps ahead of everyone else! It just means you have to work with a clear goal throughout your A levels - and bear in mind that universities change their requirements each year.
4) Have you started work on your personal statement? This only applies to AS level students, although its useful to think about doing things to create material for your statement during the summer after GCSEs. The summer after AS levels is the perfect time to start work on your personal statement. Some universities will read statements, hold interviews and allocate places as soon as they start receiving them, so its worth it to get a statement in early. Cambridge and Oxford have a lot earlier deadlines than most other uni's, so if you want a shot at getting in you'll need to apply as soon as possible (their application process is a bit different and a lot more intense than most other UK uni's, so you might want to check that out before you apply).
If you're a bit stuck on what to put in your personal statement, remember universities want to know you're passionate about their subject AND that you're a rounded individual. Hobbies outside of school or extra curricular activities look great, as does work and volunteering experience. Its worth remembering that personal statements aren't very long, so only pack in what you think is really important and will make you stand out! I put a funny fact about me at the beginning of my statement (and made sure it was relative to the course I wanted), so it doesn't all have to be dry and informational. I had so many meetings with my form tutor about my statement - he was sure it should be organised differently - but remember at the end of the day its a PERSONAL statement. Take advice, but make sure it still feels like you.
I hope that helps a bit. If there's anything you'd really like to know leave me a comment or tweet me @VickiMaitland and I'll try to make a post about it asap, or if its super specific/urgent I can reply to you there and then!Over the next two weeks I'll be doing an English Lit specific post about how to prepare over the summer, so if you've got any specific questions about that, drop me a line and I'll try to cover them!
1) Do you want to go to University and WHY? This feels like a silly question, and if you're reading this you've probably already decided that Uni is the right choice for you. There are obviously loads of pros and cons to going to uni, but it's important that you know why it is that YOU specifically want to go. Maybe its because you know exactly what career you want and you know what it takes to get there? Maybe its because you don't know what career you want, so want to stay in education a bit longer to find out whats out there? Maybe you want to move out from your parents house, go somewhere new and meet a whole new set of people? Maybe you just love to study? At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what your reasons are, just so long as you have one and its important to YOU. I know people who've applied to and gone to Uni just because its what everyone else was doing, and they haven't lasted very long. Whether you decided Higher Education is right for you or not, the focus has to be on you.
For me, I never considered another option. I was academic at school, and knew exactly what I wanted to study. I also wanted to suspend 'real life' for as long as possible, so staying in education felt like the perfect choice!
2) What are you going to study? This is probably one of the most important things you've got to have started thinking about before you've selected your A level subjects (although, if you haven't thought about it yet and you're at the end of AS studies don't worry!) Some uni's will demand that you have certain A Levels at a certain grade before you can study their course - for example I'm on an English literature with creative writing course, and part of the course requirement was an A grade in either English lit or English lang (or the combined option). Most arts or humanities courses will only specify a grade in the subject you want to study, but for some science or medicine related courses they might asks for multiple subject requirements (ie, for medicine they may ask for an A grade in Chemistry, as well as another Science or Maths subject with a C grade at AS in Maths). What you pick at A level becomes super important for getting on the course you want to do, so its worth picking your options carefully.
If you don't know what you want to study yet, I'd recommend picking a range of subjects which work well together and you have an interest in. In my AS year I studied English lit, English lang, politics and media. I knew I wanted to do a literature course, but I needed some complimentary subjects too. I'd never studied politics before and it became my second favourite lesson (after Eng lit). Its worth going for something you've never tried before, but if you can go for a taster session before I'd really recommend it - I almost took sociology, but when I hated the taster session I knew that I wouldn't do well in it.
3) Where do you want to study? This is sometimes a hard question. For me, location didn't matter - I ended up going to the Uni with the best course which just so happened to be my local university. For one of my friends, they knew they wanted to be near the sea or a large body of water, so ruled out city universities. There are lots of things to consider when picking a uni, particularly their reputation and their expectations: what grades do they want you to get, are these grades achievable, and do these grades reflect the reputation of the course itself? Once you've narrowed down your options, its a good idea to check out open days. Most unis start holding open days towards the end of June, so its worth getting in there early. You can also go down the route of arranging private talks with the head of subject at your prospective uni's - it'll make you more memorable and will answer your specific set of questions or concerns.
This is also a question you can't really answer until the end of your AS year - you need to have some sort of idea what level you are working at and you need to make the universities expectations and your own realistic: if a university is asking for 3 A's and you got three D's and an E at AS, you're either going to have to do a lot of work, or change for a university which wants C's. Don't set a ridiculously high bar for yourself - it'll just stress you out.
If you do know exactly where you want to go at GCSE, then well done as you're a couple of steps ahead of everyone else! It just means you have to work with a clear goal throughout your A levels - and bear in mind that universities change their requirements each year.
4) Have you started work on your personal statement? This only applies to AS level students, although its useful to think about doing things to create material for your statement during the summer after GCSEs. The summer after AS levels is the perfect time to start work on your personal statement. Some universities will read statements, hold interviews and allocate places as soon as they start receiving them, so its worth it to get a statement in early. Cambridge and Oxford have a lot earlier deadlines than most other uni's, so if you want a shot at getting in you'll need to apply as soon as possible (their application process is a bit different and a lot more intense than most other UK uni's, so you might want to check that out before you apply).
If you're a bit stuck on what to put in your personal statement, remember universities want to know you're passionate about their subject AND that you're a rounded individual. Hobbies outside of school or extra curricular activities look great, as does work and volunteering experience. Its worth remembering that personal statements aren't very long, so only pack in what you think is really important and will make you stand out! I put a funny fact about me at the beginning of my statement (and made sure it was relative to the course I wanted), so it doesn't all have to be dry and informational. I had so many meetings with my form tutor about my statement - he was sure it should be organised differently - but remember at the end of the day its a PERSONAL statement. Take advice, but make sure it still feels like you.
I hope that helps a bit. If there's anything you'd really like to know leave me a comment or tweet me @VickiMaitland and I'll try to make a post about it asap, or if its super specific/urgent I can reply to you there and then!Over the next two weeks I'll be doing an English Lit specific post about how to prepare over the summer, so if you've got any specific questions about that, drop me a line and I'll try to cover them!
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